10 Great Gangster Movies That Bombed At The Box Office

While gangster movies rarely fail since they don’t require huge budgets (and there’s almost always an audience for them), that doesn’t mean there haven’t been a few that bombed at the box office. The gangster genre has always held a certain allure, pulling in huge crowds with fascinating tales of crime, control, and corruption. The best mob movies shine a spotlight on unique criminal underworlds, some of which are based on true stories, and they almost always have immoral but still lovable lead characters. Whether it’s Goodfellas or The Godfather, many of the movies considered the greatest of all time belong to the gangster movie genre.

However, some of the gangster movies that are considered the best of the genre didn’t get the recognition immediately. The movie box office can be as brutal as the gangsters, and some movies bleed at the box office more than Billy Batts. Whether it’s because of box office competition, because their budgets were way too high, or simply because they were misunderstood at the time, many great gangster movies missed out on the financial performance that they deserved. These movies stand as reminders that the box office doesn’t always reflect a film’s true quality.

10 The Hot Rock (1972)

While gangster movies typically delve into dark and gritty criminal underworlds, The Hot Rock is one of the most lighthearted gangster movies there is. The movie follows a gang of thieves who attempt to steal the very expensive titular diamond. Even though the movie stars Robert Redford who was one of the most bankable actors of the early ’70s, the film made just $3.3 million worldwide (via Twentieth Century Fox: A Corporate and Financial History), and with a $2 million budget, that box office gross wasn’t enough to break even. However, The Hot Rock is still one of the most entertaining heist movies and by far the most overlooked.

9 The Outfit (2022)

The Outfit is based on the true story of an English tailor (Mark Rylance) in Chicago – only his main customers are gangsters. The cutter inevitably gets involved in the underworld, and the film follows his fight for survival. The movie is a masterclass in building suspense, and Rylance delivers an Oscar-worthy performance. Sadly, the film made just $4 million off a budget of $5 million (via Box Office Mojo). However, there’s an asterisk next to the box office performance. The Outfit was released in early 2022, which was a time when movie theaters still weren’t fully operational following the pandemic. In any other year, The Outfit could have been more successful.

8 Kill The Irishman (2011)

Kill the Irishman is based on the true story of Danny Greene, an Irish-American mobster who’s brave enough to take on the Italian mafia for territory in Cleveland in the 1970s. The movie houses incredible performances from Christopher Walken and Ray Stevenson, and together they have a raw energy that’s nigh impossible to replicate. Nevertheless, Kill the Irishman still bombed at the box office, making only just 10% of its budget back. The movie had a budget of $12 million and made only $1.2 million worldwide (via The Numbers), which isn’t deserved given that it’s a standout late-career performance from Walken.

7 The Funeral (1996)

A high number of mob movies are set in New York, but The Funeral has a unique 1930s New York setting. While the movie tackles the popular gangster movie theme of revenge, as the mob family attempts to kill the people responsible for the death of one of their own, The Funeral is as much about loyalty and the complexities of families as it is about over-the-top violence. The Funeral’s story of three brothers getting retribution is poignant and evocative. Coincidentally, once again starring Walken, The Funeral had the same box office performance as Kill the Irishman, making $1.4 million on a $12 million budget (via Box Office Mojo).

6 Scarface (1932)

The original 1932 Scarface essentially depicted the same story as the remake; the rise and fall of a renowned gangster. However, it’s much different tonally and thematically from the remake, as the 1932 release is set during Prohibition-era Chicago. At the time, the violence in Scarface was daring and many audiences deemed it way too much. As a result, the movie only made $600,000 with a budget of $800,000 (via Variety). However, there’s an asterisk next to that result too, as Scarface was banned in the US, and when the ban was lifted, it still wasn’t allowed to be screened in New York, Chicago, and many other major cities.

5 Made (2001)

Made was Jon Favreau’s directorial debut, and while the filmmaker went on to make billion-dollar hits like 2019’s The Lion King, the 2001 release is a fun, scrappy, low-budget mob movie. The film follows two aspiring mobsters, but everything that can go wrong does go wrong. The movie is heavily influenced by Guy Ritchie’s early releases, but Made didn’t have quite the same success as Ritchie’s films. Made earned just $5.4 million worldwide off a $5 million budget (via Box Office Mojo), but it deserved to gross way more, as Made is one of Favreau’s best movies. Nevertheless, it has since found its audience and become a cult classic.

4 The Pope Of Greenwich Village (1984)

Once again set against the backdrop of New York City, The Pope of Greenwich Village is one of the most overlooked gangster movies of the 1980s. The movie is about two cousins (Mickey Rourke and Eric Roberts), small-time crooks with dreams of hitting the big time, who become involved in a whirlwind of crime and misfortune. Rouke and Roberts were never top-tier Hollywood actors, but it’s ingenious casting and the pair is so fun to watch given their contrasting personalities. However, the lack of a bankable star could be why the movie failed to hit the big time too. The film made just $6.8 million with an $8 million budget (via Box Office Mojo).

3 Miller’s Crossing (1990)

The Coen brothers made Miller’s Crossing instead of Batman, as they turned down the superhero movie for the mob flick. While the Coens would undoubtedly have made more money with Batman, they made the right choice. Miller’s Crossing isn’t perfect as it’s still early in the Coens’ career (and the film has many stereotypical gangster movie instances). Nevertheless, the film weaves a labyrinthine tale of betrayal within the Irish mob during Prohibition. The “look into your heart” scene has become a classic movie moment. However, it took long enough to reach that status, as Miller’s Crossing earned a microscopic $5.1 million with a $14 million budget (via Box Office Mojo).

2 A Better Tomorrow (1986)

John Woo is one of the most stylish movie directors, and though his movies are almost always style over substance, that’s totally fine. However, the 1986 movie has the perfect balance of both, which is why A Better Tomorrow is John Woo’s best movie. The film took the Hong Kong gangster landscape to the next level with Chow Yun-fat’s masterful and poignant performance, but it also features Woo’s endlessly entertaining gunfight choreography. Unfortunately, as influential as A Better Tomorrow might be, the movie only made $4.9 million (via Box Office Mojo), only fractionally more than its budget of $4.5 million.

1 King Of New York (1990)

King of New York follows Frank White (Christopher Walken), who’s newly released from prison and seeking to reclaim his throne as New York’s biggest drug lord. The movie is overflowing with classic sequences, such as Walken’s reunion with his men (which features a classic Walken jig), the intense scene at the fried chicken restaurant, and the moment when Frank gets absolutely brutal revenge in the finale. It isn’t too late for a King of New York sequel either. King of New York is one of the great gangster movies that bombed at the box office, making just $2.5 million of a $5 million budget (via Box Office Mojo).